Process of making water gas



July l2, 1932-. w. M. RUSSELL PROCESS oF MAKING WATER GAS Filed s epr.. 4, 1928 I/// 1,/l l 13 /A/VE/vroe: nm Tf? M Paja-2L Patented July 12, 1932 'UNITED @STATES PA'rEr oFFicE;

warmen M, RUSSELL, oFYWEL'LEsLEY, MASSACHUSETTS, AssreNoR 'ro THE GAS MA- CHINERY COMPANY, or CLEVELAND, omo, A ,Conroe-Arron or oHIo PROCESS OFV MAKING WATER GAS Application filed September 4, 1928. Serial No. 303,745.

My invention relates to water gas sets de# signed toV carbonize and completely gasify bituminous coal and to manufacture water gas Vin one apparatus. .My invention also comprehends improved methods of operating said sets.

The particular `objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

To eliminate smoke nuisance;

To recover more coal gas than any bituminousA coal water gas apparatus with which I am acquainted, and thus to obtain a higher B. t. itin the final gas 4with the use of less oil for Carburation, this recovery .of coal gas effecting practically complete gasification of the volatile elements-inthe coal as distinF guished from the complete'destruction ofthe coal gas in the usual water' gas sets;

To make possible down-blasttmg through the lower part ofthe generator;

\ To permit back uprunning by admitting steamor water at the top of a Asuperheater extension; v

To keep the carburetor and superheater checke-rbrick at the usual operating temperatures by theV use of water evaporated and superheated in said superheater extension or steam superheated therein, thus obvlating eX- cessive cooling` of the checkerbrick regularlyV used in the carburetor and superheater;

To recover oil from the coal instead of tar and pitch;

' Toleconomize in fuel inasmuch as the hot coke is delivered lto vthe generator by gravity' and there is no cooling of the generator caused by the dropping iii-of fresh charges of cold fuel; and

To increase the flexibility of operation and control since both ends of the set are maintained comparatively` cool.A A p Other objects,l and' advantages will appear in detail in the description hereinafter given by reference to the accompanying` drawing.

The annexed drawing and the following description set-forth in detail certain means illustrating my improvements in water gas sets and the steps by which my improved method may be carried' out, such means and steps constituting, however, but one of the forms and but one of the series of steps, re-

spectively, in which the principles of my in vention may be embodied or by which they may be carried out. The claims in this application are limited to the improved process.

The drawing represents diagrammatically 5 and partly in vertical section a water gas set embodying that part of my invention which relates to the apparatus and also serving to illustrate means by which the improved process may be carried out.

Referring to the annexed drawing, a water-gas generator 27 is formed with anv upper coal compartment l and a lower coke n compartment 2, this generator 'beingv provided with a charging valve 22, a down-blast connection 19 having a valve 19, an upblast connectionv26 having a valve 26, an

upper steam connection 24 having a valve 23, a steam connection 6 having a valve 18 and communicating with the generator 27 intermediate the top and bottom thereof and substantially centrally thereof, and a lower steam connection 7 provided with a valve 7 The bed of solid fuel in the generator 27 comprises an upper coal carbonizing Zone, correspondingv substantially to compartment l, and a lower gas generating zone, corresponding substantially toV compartment 2. A carburetor?) and a superheater 4 having an upward extension 5 are also provided, the

carburetor and superheater with its eXtension having checkerbrick orother heat storing means. Connecting the generator 27 and the carburetor 3 is a pipe 11 serving as an upward-blast oli'take, this pipe l1 being provided with a valve 15'and communicating with the top of thecarburetor 3, and with the generator 27 about midway of its height. Communicating with the pipe connection 11 and the bottom of the coking chamber 2 is a pipe 10 provided with a valve 14, the valves 14 and 15 may be interconnected so that when one is closed the other is open. Communicating with the top of the carburetor 3 is an air blast 'connection 20 provid-ed with a valve 20 and an oil inlet 25 provided with a valve 25. Connected'to the lower portion of the carburetor 3 and the lower portionr of the superheater proper 4 is a pipe 28. Communicating with the superheater between the tis 2 with a valve 16 andcommunicating at its other end with the top of the coal chamber 1 of the generator 27. A stack valve 21 at the top of the superheater extension 5 communicates with the usual stack 30, and communicating with the superheater extension 5 below said stack valve 21 is a'water pipe 9 provided with a valve 9 and a steam pipe 8 provided with a valve 8.

The improved combination of elements f hereinbefore describedand shown in the acy: utilized and I term one a special cycle,

utilized immediately after coaling the generator 27, and the others, regular cycles, of which a number arev carried out subsequent tothe special cycle. After thecompartment 1 of the generator 27 has been coaled, assuming that the coke compartment 2 is filled, the valves 19', 14, 20 and 21 are opened and all of the other valves closed, so that air blasting. can be effected down through the generator 27 commencing at .about the' :fentral portion thereof, up through the connection 10, down through the carburetor 3, up through the superheat'er proper 4 and the superheater extension 5, and out into the stack 30. Air is admitted through valve 20 to burn, in carburetor 3,A the air blast gas from colte compartment 2. Then the valves 192,20 and 21 areclosed, and the valves 17 and 18 are opened, and a down-run through the highly heated lower gas generating zone of the fuel bed is effected with steam admitted through steam connection 6 at about the center of the generator 27, the blue water Ygas offtake being through the connection 13 #.31 into the seal 29,. The valves 7 and 16 are Vgas offtake being from the top of the coal` compartment. 1 to the seal through the pipe connection 12. f desired, or jointly with the steam admission through the inlet 8, wa-

" Vter may be admitted through the inlet 9. in

which case the valve 9 is opened, during the up-run water gas step just described, the water being evaporated andv steam superheated "n the Superheater extension 5.

" above perations complet-e what l of the generator 27, through the connectionv 11, down through the carburetor 3, up through the superheater 4 and superheater extension 5 and into the stack `30. A down- 'run to make carbureted water gas is then effected by opening the valves 18, 14, 25 and 17, all other valves being closed, thus admitting steam to the central part of the ygenerator 27 the blue water gas being conducted to the carburetor 3 through the pipeconnection 10, there it is enriched with oil admitted through oil inlet 25 into the top of `carburetor 3 the gas oce being throughfthe connection 13 and to the seal 29. A run which Y is optional is then'efected by opening valves 7" and 16, allother valves being closed, valve 14 remaining open, this optional run ybeing an up-run effected with steam admitted atv the bottom of the coke compartmentf2, or at the top of the superheater extension 5, the gas oiftake being from the top of the coal compartment 1. through the connection 12 to the seal 29. A back up-run is then effected Y Y by opening valveS, leaving valves 14 and 16 open and closing all other valves, whereby steam is admitted at the top vof the superheater extension 5, or Water through the connection 10 and thence upwardly through the Y coke compartment 2 and the coal compartment 1, the gas oftake beingthrough the con nection 12 into the seal 29. l

The set of operations last described completes one of the regular cycles, and after Several of these regular cycles have been made, the chargingfvalve22 is opened to again coal the generator compartment 1.

If the heat of the checkerbrick in the carburetor 3 and the superheater 4 ermitsor requires occasional blow-runs can e effected by air blasting for a short period through the entire fuel bed in the generator 27 and conducting they gas .through the connection 12 to the seal 29. v

The steam connection .24 and vits controlling valve 23 serve to furnish purge steam, and also to provide a steam curtain inthe coal compartment 1 before charging the latter. During forward Water gas runs, when the gas oftake is from the top of the superheater lower portion 4 through the connection 13 into the seal 29, some steam may .be admitted through the connection 8 to form a seal in the superheater extension and also t0 obviate any untoward effects by reason pf gas has a high B. t. u. value.

any leakage around the stack valve 21. The superheater 4 and the superheater extension 5, although enclosed in a continuous steel outer shell, are not a single chamber in effect, but the superheater portion 4 filled with checkerbrick is a normal superheater as found in any usual water gas set and the offtake from this superheater portion 4 is at about the normal height of the offtake of any superheater, the extension 5 serving to superheat steam admitted through the connection 8 or evaporate and superheat water admitted through the connection 9, thus keeping the cheekerbrick of the normal superheater member 4 and the carburetor 3 at the usual operating temperatures, and not cooling them excessively by reason of superheating steam therein or evaporating and superheating water therein. The gases obtained by the upward air blasting do not pass through the coal in the compartment l but the heat in said gases is effectively used, except during the occasional blow-runs mentioned, to heat the checker-brick in the carburetor 3, superheater portion 4 and superheater extension 5, by providing an offtake for these blast gases at about the mid-height of the generator 27. Carbonization of the coal in the compartment l is effected by the up-run blue Water gas and by the heat conducted from the coke compartment 2 of the generator 27, and at times by blow-running through the up-air blast conduit 26. No Carburation of the blue water gas is eected during the special cycle but this operation is limited to the down-runs of the regular cycles of operations. The steam back runs are limited to 11p-runs through the generator and no use is made of back down-runs.

The arrangement of apparatus and the cycles utilized make possible the use of less oil than ordinarily used because of the comparatively great amount of coal gas that is recovered from the bituminous coal, which coal This high recovery of coal gas is due to the back up-running and the avoiding of passing the coal gas through the fire and hot checkerbrick.

The apparatus as a whole and the use of the method of operation described, result in a coke producing process and also in water gas manufacture by the use of bituminous coal whose volatile elements are completely gasified.

Due to the fact that the coal in the upper part ofthe compartment l is mostly cold, and due to the steam curtain which can be provided by use of the steam connection 24, and the provision of the central blast gas offtake from the generator 27, instead of normal air blasting through the whole generator, smoke nuisance is largely eliminated.

Vhen water is admitted to the top of the superheater it is preferably admitted hot and isevaporated and the resulting steam is su-V perheated in the superheater extensionA 5. Thus considerable saving is effected in expense of boiler fuel for making steam. This admission of water is made practicable by the use of the superheater extension 5. When checkerbrick are cooled excessively, emulsion troubles are caused in the tar and liquor obtained by plant operation, but I obviate this by reason of the use of the superheater extension and still leave suflicient checkerprising either wet steam or dry steam, or

both. That is, aqueous fluid comprises Water in any or all its liquid, Vapor and gas states.

What I claim is:

l. A process of making carbureted Water gas in a set comprising a single generator having a solid fuel bed including lan upper coal carbonizing Zone and a loWer gas 'generating Zone, a single carburetor having checkerbrick therein, and a single superheater having checkerbrick therein; which process comprises a special cycle of Asteps and areguiar cycle of steps following said special cycle; said special cycle comprising air-blasting the lower zone only of the fuel bed, burning the blast gases and heating the checkerbrick in the carburetor and superheater, then passing steam through the highly heated lower zone only of the fuel bed and generating water gas, passing the water gas through l the carburetor and the lower portion of the superheater, withdrawing the water gas from an intermediate portion of the superheater, then passing steam through the upper Zone of the fuel bed and withdrawing the resulting gas directly from said upper zone and 4from the generator, then admitting aqueous fluid to the heated checkerbrick in the upper portion of the snperheater above the intermediate gas offtake, passing steam downwardly through the superheater, through the Carburetor and through the fuel bed in the generator, and withdrawing the resulting gas directly from the generator; and said regular cycle comprising air-blasting the lower Zone only of the fuel bed, burning the blast gases and heating the checkerbrick in the carburetor and superheater,V then passing steam through the highly heated lower Zone only of the fuel bed and generating water gas, passing the water gas through the carburetor and enriching the water gas by adding oil thereto, passing the enriched. water gasto the lower portion of the superheater and fixing the oil vapors mixed with the Water gas, Withaol i no

drawingthe carbureted water gas from an intermediate portion of the superheater, then admitting aqueous fluid to the heated checkerbrick inthe upper portion of the superheater above the intermediate gas oiftake, passing steam downwardly through the superheater, through the carburetor and through the fuel bed inthe generator, and withdrawing the resulting gas directly from lthe generator.

2. lA process of making carbureted water gas in a set comprising a singlegenerator having a solid fuel bed including an upper coal carbonizing Zone and a lower. gas generating Zone, a single carburetor having checkerbrick therein, and a single superheater having checkerbrick therein; which process comprises a special cycle of steps and a plurality of'regular cycles of steps following said special cycle; said special cycle comprising air-blasting the lower Zone only of the fuel bed, burning the blast gases and heating the checkerbrick in the carburetor and superheater, then passing steam through the highly heated lower zone only kof the fuel bed and generating water gas, passing-the water gasY through the carburetor and the lower portion ofthe superheater, withdrawingthe water gas from an intermediate portion of the superheater, then passing steam through thel fuel bed and withdrawing the resulting gas directly from the top of the generator, then admitting aqueous fluid to the heated checkerbrick in the upper portionI of they superheater above the intermediate gas Oiftake, passing steam downwardly through the superheater,l through the carburetor and through rthe fuel bed in the generator, andy withdrawing the resulting gas directly from the generator; and each of said regular cycles comprising air-blasting theflower zone only of theifuel bed, burning the blast gases and heating the rcheckerbrick in the carburetor and superheater, then passing steam through the highly heated lower zone only of the fuel bed and generating water gas, passing the water gas through the carburetor and enriching .the water gas by adding oil thereto, passing the enriched watergas to the lower portion of the superheater and fixing the oil vapors mixed withl the water gas, withdrawing the carbureted water gas from an intermedi-- ate portion of the superheater, then admitting aqueous fluid to the heated checkerbrick in the upper portion of thesuperheater above the intermediate rgas offtake, passing steam downwardly through the superheater, through the carburetor and through the fuel bed in the generator, and withdrawing the resulting gas directly from the generator.

'v 3. A process of making carbureted water gas in a set comprising a single generator having a solid fuel bed including an upper coal carbonizing zone Yand a lower gas generating fzone, a single carburetor having checkerbricktherein, and a single superheater having checkerbrick therein; whichy process comprises a special cycle of steps and a plurality of regular cycles of steps following said special cycle; said special cycle comprising air-blasting downwardly through the lower zone of the fuel bed, burningy the blast gases and heating the checkerbrick in the carburetor and superheater, then admitting steam to the lower Zone of the fuel bed and aqueous fluid into the upper portion of the superheater and heating it to superheated steam, passing the steamy downwardly through the superheaterthrough thev carburetor and through the fuel kbed in the generator, and withdrawing the resulting gas di'- rectly from the generator; and each of said regular cycles comprising air-blasting upwardlythrough thelower Zone of the fuel bed, burning the blast gases and heating the checkerhrick in the carburetor and superheater, then admitting steam to the'lower zone of the fuel bed and passing the steam downwardly therethroughy and generating water gas, passing the water gas through the carburetor and enriching the watergasby adding oil thereto, passing the enriched water gas to the lower portionrof the superheater and fixing the oil vapors mixedv withv the water gas, withdrawing the carburetedwater gas vfrom an intermediate portion :of the superheater, then admitting aqueous fluid into the upper portion of the superheater and heating it to superheated steam, passing the steam downwardly through the' superheater, through the carburetor and through the fuel bed in the generator, and ywithdrawing the resulting gas directly from the generator.

4l. A process of making carbureted water gas in a set comprising a single. generator ing checkerbrick therein; which process comprises a special cycle of steps and a plurality of regular cycles of steps vfollowing said special cycle; said special cycle comprising air-blasting downwardly through the'lower u x Zone only of the fuel bed, burning the blast il gases and lheating the checkerbrick in the carburetor and superheater, then passing steam downwardly through the highly heated lower zone only of the fuel bed and generat- .ing water gas, passing the water gas through the carburetor and the lower portion of the superheater, withdrawing the water gas from an intermediate portion of the superheater, then passing steam upwardly through the entire fuel bed and withdrawing the resulting gas directly from the top of the generator, then admitting aqueous fluid to the heated checlrerbriclr in the. upper portion of the superheater above the intermediate gas olftalre and heating said fluid to superheated steam, passing the steam downwardly through the lower portion of the superheater, through the carburetor and upwardly through the fuel bed in the generator, and withdrawing the resulting gas from the top of the generator; and each of said regular cycles comprising air-blasting upwardly through the lower zone only of the fuel bed, burning the blast gases and heating the checkerbrick in the carburetor and superheater, then passing steam downwardly through the highly heated lower' Zone only of the fuel bed and generating water gas, passing the water gas through the carburetor and enriching the water gas by adding oil thereto7 passing the enriched water gas to the lower portion of the superheater and fixing the oil vapors mixed with the water gas, withdrawing the carbureted water gas from an intermediate portion of the superheater, then admitting aqueous Huid to the heated checkerbrick in the upper portion of the superheater and heating said fluid to superheated steam, passing the steam downwardly through the superheater, through the carburetor and upwardly through the fuel bed in the generator, and withdrawing the resulting gas from the top of the generator.

5. The process set forth in claim l, with an additional step in the regular cycle after withdrawing the carbureted water gas from the superheater, said additional step comprising passing steam through the upper zone of the fuel bed and withdrawing the resulting gas directly from said upper zone and from the generator.

6. The process set forth in claim 2, with an additional step in each regular cycle after withdrawing the carbureted water gas from the superheater, said additional step comprising passing steam through the fuel bed and withdrawing the resulting gas directly from the top of the generator.

7. The process set forth in claim 3, with an additional step in each regular cycle after withdrawing the carbureted water gas from the superheater, said additional step comprising passing steam through the upper zone of the fuel bed and withdrawing the resulting gas directly from said upper zone and from the generator.

8. The process set forth in claim 4; with an additional step in each regular cycle after withdrawing the carbureted water gas from the superheater, said additional step comprising passing steam upwardly through the entire fuel bed and withdrawing the resulting gas directly from the top of the generator.

9. The process set forth in claim 2, characterized by charging coal into the generator before the special cycle and admitting steam into the top portion of the generator concurrently with the charging.

10. The process set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the aqueous fluid admitted atthe top of the superheater comprises water and characterized by generating steam from said water in the upper portion of the superheater above the intermediate gas offtake.

l1. The process set forth in claim 2, with an additional step occasionally during the regular cycles, said additional step comprising air-blasting upwardly through the fuel bed and withdrawing the blast gases directly from the top of the generator. Y

Signed by me this 27th day of August, 1928.l

l wWALTER M. RUSSELL. 

